Smoke consuming ob cleaning device



Feb. 28, 1928., 1,660,804

w. c. MITCHELL SMOKE CONSUMING 0R CLEANING DEVICE Filed March 26', 1.926 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1..

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Feb. 28, 1928. 1,660,804

' w. c. MITCHELL SMOKE CONSUMING OR CLEANING DEVICE Filed March 26, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb 28, 1928 f w. c. MITCHELL SMOKE CONSUMING 0R CLEANING DEVICE Filed March 26, 192.6

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES WALTER c. MITCHELL, ors'r. LOUIS, MIssounI.

SMOKE CONSUMING OR CLEANING DEVICE.

Application filed March 26, 1926. Serial No. 97,598.

This invention relates to a smoke consuming and cleaning device. 7

An object of the invention is to provide equipment for furnaces, kilns and the like for injecting jets of dry steam into passages of the furnaces or kilns to remove the solid and combustible elements from the smoke and thereby increase the efliciency and completenessof combustion and permitting only the relatively clear smoke to pass out.

Another object of the invention is to provide the efiicient means herein disclosed, including equivalent variations thereof, for subjecting the smoke to jets of steam heated to a high degreeof heat by the heat of the furnace, or otherwise,-before being injected so as to remove from thesmoke the heavy 1 products of combustion, leaving the relative- 1y clean or clear smoke free to pass out, without bearing these objectionable elements.

Other general and specific objects will appear from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which I Y Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section of a portion of a down-draft kiln having the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a portion of an up-draft kiln containing the invention.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of one of the steam. heating and injecting devices.

Fig. 4; is an outer end elevation of the device shown in Fig. 3."

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are vertical sectional views on the lines 55,- 66 and 77 respectively of Fig. 3.

It will be understood from the following description of the specific application of the invention shown that the invention may be applied with equal advantages to any ceramic burning kilns and also to other smoke producing furnaces. Hence in describing the present specific embodiments. and uses of the invention no restriction is intended.

Fig. 1 will be recognized as a cross section of a portion of a down-draft kiln in which the kiln wall 1 rises from the arch 2 above the fire box 3 and spacedfrom the flash wall 4. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that in a kiln of this character the direction of the draftis through the fire b0x,upwardly infront of the flash wall 1,

and thence downwardlyback of the flash wall. In accordance with the present in vention the kiln wall is provided with openings 5 therethrough which enlarge or'flare inwardly and open into the space between the kiln wall and the flash wall. A deflector 6 composed of fire clay or other appropriate material, is fixed across the lower side 7 of each opening 5. The upper wall of the deflector 6 inclines upwardly from its intersection with the outer wall, as shown, in order to deflect the steam jets properly with respect to thedraft. I

Inthe case of the up-draft kilns, shown in Fig. 2, the kiln walls 7 are provided with openings 8. Across the upper side of each of the openings 8 at its intersection with the inner surface of the kiln wall a deflector 9 is fixed having its lower wall inclining from intersection with its inner wall'to intersection with its upper wall so as to deflect the steam ets properly. In this type of kiln it will be understood that the direction-of the draft is fire box.

Each injector device comprises an-element including an outer wall 10 (sheet 3), an inner wall 11 enclosed within and spaced downwardly into and through the from theouter wall lQ and connected therewith by an outer wallportion 12 and an inner wall portion 13 closing the ends of the space between said inner and outer walls. A horizontal partition wall 1 1 within the space between the inner and outer walls of the deviceextends from the outer end wall- 12 toward the inner end wall 13 andterminates at a slight distance from said wall 13. These partitions 14 are united with the outer andinner walls 10 and 11 and with the outer end wall 12 (Figs. 3, 5 and 6), so that the steam admitted into the outer end of the space below the partitions 14 must pass inwardly below said partitions to the inner end wall 13, and thence upwardly between the inner end wall 13 and the ends of the partitions 1 1 and outwardly through the space above the partitions 14; to the spray nozzles. I A steam supply pipe 15 opens into each of the devices above described through a branch pipe 16. Thebranch pipes 16 are independently controlled by valves 17, one of which is in each of said branch pipes. From the outer end of the space above the partitions 14 a pipe 18 leads to a nozzle 19 supported thereby and extending into each of the injector devices comprising the structure including the walls 10 and 11. The ends of the nozzles 19 are directed inwardly so that the steam passing therefrom is ejected to any desired number'of injector nozzles.

As the injector device walls ;10-aand 11 :are subjected to a high degree of heat it may be desirable to provide strengthening webs -21;between and connecting said walls igs.

3 and 5) to prevent their distortion by :the

the combination with a kiln having-a front 85 heat to which ftheyare subjected.

By referenceyto Fig. 3 it willbe seen that the nozzle 19 is spaced from the inner wall 11, leaving a sight openingthrough the del vice through which the draft passage may be seen, thus enabling the operator to observe the effects of the steam upon the smoke and, by manipulation of the .valves 17 and 20, to obtain best results. 7 I

From :the foregoing it will be understood that the operation of the deviceincludesthe admission of steam from thesupply pipe '15, through the branches 16 to the respective injectors. From the branches '16 the steam passes into the outer end of the space betweenthe walls 10 and 11 'ofeach injector,

and thence inwardly below the partition walls 141 and upwardly across the inner ends of said partitions 14: and thence-outwardly through the pipe 18 .and into and from the nozzle 19, and thence inwardly into contact with the smoke bearing the heavy products of combustion which it is #desirable to re move.

The injection of-steamiin substantially the manner indicated serves tomaterially increase the draft through thekiln, thereby correspondingly increasing the efficiency and completeness of combustion. Itis,-ofcourse,

*apparentithat thedegreeof heat in the air thereof increased, so that better-combustion of the volatile matter .is obtained. By reason of the highly efficient combustion obtained in a kiln constructed vand equipped in, ac-

cordance with the present invention, the smoke resulting therefrom is substantially clean and clear. As already pointed out, this is due-to the increased draft afiorded'by the injection of steam in the direction of the draft as well as the more-complete combustion eflected by the superheated steam itself. Moreover, it has been found that in practice the dense screen of steam injected into the kiln across the draft passage serves .also as a filter orclarifier for eliminating from the smoke. all solid and combustible matter.

It has been found in practice that this in ven'tion is'higlily efficient in connection with brick kilns, and itis apparent that it may be used with equally satisfactory results in any ceramic burning kiln without substantial alteration of the kiln structure. By

proper and obvious adaptation the invention may also be used in connection with various types of furnaces. I contemplate such adaptations and all uses to which the invention may be applied.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described,

wall for deflecting the injected productslin the direction of thedraft.

-2. In a device of 'the'character described, I

and in combination witha kilnhavinga fire box, a front wall above the said fire box, of an injectorpositioned .within anope-ning in thesaidfront wall and adapted to :be heated bythe said will, of means for-passing steam through the said injector whereby the steam is-superheated, and a deflector for deflecting the injected steam inthe direction of the draft within thekiln. I

The combination witlra-kiln having 1a fire box, a front wall extending above the fire box,a flash wall defining the rear wall of the firc box and a-draftpassage bctween the said front wall and flash wall, of means -,for--injecting superheated steam through the front wall and across the draft passage,-sai'd means comprising i an injector positioned within an opening in the front wall, said inj ector being in heat conducting relation with the said wall. whereby' the steam passing through the same is superheated, a deflector positioned within the opening in the wall at theinner sidethereof for dcflecting the' steam in the direction of the draft.

4. In a device-of the characte'r described, I

the combination with a kiln having a fire boX, a front wall abovesaid fire boxanda flash wall defining the rear wall of saidrfire -boX, said front wall and flash wall being note of combustionand to remove'therefrom the unburned particles, and meansassociated wlth said first mentioned meansfor deflecting the in ected steam in the general direction of the draft whereby to promote combustion.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a kiln having a fire 5 box and a draft passage, of means for injecting a filtering screen of steam across said draft passage whereby to cleanse the smoke issuing from said fire box by removing heavy unburned particles therefrom, means associated with said injecting means for superheating the steam, and means for deflecting the injected steam in the general direction of the draft.

WALTER C. MITCHELL. 

